A dominant late spell wasn’t enough for Tadcaster to salvage a draw from 2-0 down at home to Campion on a wintry Tuesday night at the Young Guns FC Arena. The contest was tight in the first half, but the Red & Blacks showed the quality of final pass that the Brewers had been lacking for a large part of the match.

The home side were under pressure right from kick off, as right back Callan Wells sent a searching ball down the right hand side. Dangerous winger Evan Gregson was put through and delivered a cross into Aidan Kirby at the back post, whose header just missed both the net and a stretching Zak Khan.

Tadcaster’s first chance came as Sam Kitchen secured a loose ball inside his own half, and found Ethan Kachosa sprinting forward from the right-back position. Taking on Karl Fitzgerald, a looping cross cleared the penalty area as Luca Bolino retrieved and saw his shot blocked from 20 yards out.

Elliot Andrew, whose goal away to promotion hopefuls Penistone Church brought his side their only win in the last 6 league games, had Ed Wilcynski concerned with a dipping free kick on 13 minutes which he smartly tipped over the crossbar.

Campion were looking to contain the Brewers in their own half with a high press, but the home side got into smart positions passing their way around it. Fatlum Ibrahimi was a constant presence in midfield, and won the ball with a firm challenge in the middle after 18 minutes before slotting a perfectly weighted ball in between the centre halves to Bolino, 1-on-1, whose low chip was saved.

Although they had settled into their groove, Tadcaster had a heart-stopping moment in their own penalty area when Gregson was played in on the right wing after a ball over the defence from Kirby. Green managed to palm the cross aside but Zak Khan, with 4 league goals to his name in 8 appearances, couldn’t put the rebound in.

Just before the half-hour mark, Campion took the lead after more good work out on the wing. Khan received the ball from Robbie Graham and showed good feet to get away from Ibrahimi. Kirby then found Fitzgerald on the overlap, and Khan nodded the cross down to Kaiser Ali standing merely a few yards from the goal line and poked the ball into the net.
0-1.

Sam Green was called into action a few minutes before the break to keep out Evan Gregson, latching onto a through ball from Khan as the Tadcaster back line was caught out. Going into half time, Campion were looking the more dangerous side going forward despite a bright start from Tadcaster.

The away side looked well-disciplined in the second half, trying to threaten on the counter yet always managing to get enough men behind the ball during the transition. Mick O’Connell’s side were focusing their attacks through Bolino and right-back Kachosa, who contributed more effectively on the offence with some scintillating runs from deep.

Ben Tweed had thought he’d heaved Tadcaster level on 65 minutes, a cross from the right falling invitingly at his feet after Campion refused to clear. His shot was well blocked. Campion were on the attack minutes later following a throw from the right; the ball was cut back from the byline and the shot was blocked by Kitchin who turned his back on the ball.

A high ball out of the Campion defence was chested down nicely by skipper Aidan Kirby with 15 minutes left in the game, shifting the ball through the middle to top scorer Khan who rounded several challenges with the drop of his shoulder only for the shot to be beaten away by Green.

Kachosa was looking lively on the ball again, cutting inside and finding Ibrahimi. An accurate floated ball landed with Kachosa once more, on a smart run forward. His cross was touched down by substitute Shaun Hudson at the back post but found the side netting with a left-footed shot.

The Brewers were chasing the game with 10 men until the dying moments as James Knowles was sin-binned. Entering the final 5 minutes, it was starting to get away from them as Andrew Shepherd turned from a Campion midfielder and spotted Kachosa in an advanced position again. Another cross found Hudson inside the penalty area, whose shot this time was straight at Ed Wilcynski.

Shaun Hudson would have another opportunity just two minutes later, after Wilcynski parried a dangerous low ball from Kachosa. He was up again smartly and made another save to keep Hudson out, in a brilliant second half showing that kept Campion’s noses in front.

The Red & Blacks’ stalwart defending was rewarded with a second goal on the counter attack in the final minute. Substitute Joshua Green was sent steaming away down the middle after escaping a challenge of the last man back. Green strode off his line and stood his ground, the ball then being shifted to Gregson who arrowed it into the bottom left with the Tadcaster keeper off balance. 0-2.

Every Campion player, despite only making two changes beforehand, sprinted over to the right corner flag to celebrate as they knew time was up for a frustrated Brewers team whose encouraging start and end to the game was separated by a succession of wayward passes in the final third.

Campion walked away with the 3 points after a hard-fought 2-0 victory. They made better use of the ball when it mattered and looked very organised out of possession for large spells. Fatlum Ibrahimi and Ethan Kachosa impressed on the ball, but their performances alone were not enough.

Tadcaster are back in action at home to Goole in the West Riding Cup on Tuesday 15th October, (K.O 19:45) and return to league action on Saturday when Thackley are the visitors to the Young Guns Arena

Attendance: 225

Tadcaster: Green (GK), Kachosa, Wilson, Knowles, Qualter, F. Ibrahimi, Ellington (‘61 Greenway), Kitchen (‘77 Shepherd), Andrew (‘61 A. Ibrahimi), Tweed, Bolino (‘67 Hudson

Campion: Wilcynski (GK), Wells, Fitzgerald, Swift (‘77 Walters), Bradley, Graham, Khan (‘89 Green), Day, Kirby, Ali, Gregson

Tony Howarth Golf Man of the Match: Fatlum Ibrahimi

Report from Oliver Whitmore, Photos Courtesy of Craig Dinsdale and Keith Handley